One of the ways of abandoning offshore platforms as required under building regulations so far followed is by means of a rope ladder with wooden rungs, known as a Jacobs or hanging ladder, wound over a reel at a point on the escape-way and intended to be tossed overboard in cases of emergency. It is a difficult ladder to use, especially if only one man climbs down it, or if he is the first to do so, because the bottom end of the latter hangs loose, causing its rungs to shift inwards when stepped upon, which makes the man climbing down it have to hang on practically by his hands. Therefore, when there is an emergency and people panic, many accidents are likely to happen.